Three phase slurry reactors

This article reviews the major developments in the engineering and design of three‐phase slurry catalytic reactors. A general theoretical analysis for predicting the overall rate of reaction in a slurry reactor for various kinetics is presented, incorporating all the transport effects. Modeling of semi‐batch reactors is discussed and design procedures are indicated. Some major correlations and methods for determining gas‐liquid and liquid‐solid mass transfer coefficients and effective diffusivity in liquid filled pores are reviewed. Slurry reactors are compared with other three‐phase reactors, such as trickle bed or packed bed reactors, and relative merits are pointed out.